Hive handling apparatus



Feb.. '15, 1938. v w. H. FosTER Q ZIAS@ HIVE HANDL ING APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. l5, E93 w, H. Fosmm 0,480

HIVE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES mais@ PATENT omer. i

This invention relates to bee hive handlin'g'apparatus, and more especially to a portable ap-v paratus which can be wheeled from one location to another, so that the hives may be lifted, moved,`

stacked, or lseparatedwith a minimum of effort and disturbanceto the hive proper;

Another object is to provide a very simple, practical,y portable hive lifter provided withplleuimatic tires to minimize jarring of the hivesl when theyare being transplvnrtedy from one location to another, and by means of which a plurality of hives may be simultaneously handled if desired.

A further object is to provide a device which straddles the hives, so that the lifting means is centrally located above the hives to be lifted together with means for clamping and raising the hives as desired.

A further object still is to provide simple, practical and substantial means, easily operableby the workman for raising the hive or hives for disease inspection, requeening-or' dequeening, or

when there is a heavy load on the hives and one' desires toget into the broad nest with a minimum of disturbance.

A still further object is to provide an apparatus may be easily'and quickly weighed to determine if the colony has suflcient honey to feed on through the winter or dormant season.

With the above andother objects in view,'the

. present invention consists in the combi-nation and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully de-` scribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that l changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction,l without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan of the hive clamp.

Fig. 5 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail .view illustrating the gear, ratchet, and dog arrangement.

Fig. 7 is an edge View of one of the stirrups. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of ,one of the wheel housings showing the slotted 'opening for mounting the wheel` as shown to accommodate a' wheel i3 between by means of whichthe individual hive or hivestively, a brace lS serving Vto reinforce and hold In handlingbee hives or in moving them from one location to another, itis essential that they be handled carefullyY so as not to unduly jar the hive and excite the bee colonyhoused therein,

and ythis is ydiflicult when performed by hand by` theworkman' inasmuch 4as the hives are bulky, the edges of the hives (when stacked or superimposed) stick together and must be" tilted to break them `apart `for removal' of honey, inspection, feeding, or to Vcarry from one location to another, 10 and I have therefore,jprovided a portable, pneu- `matic Ltired vehicle, provided with means for easily and smoothly lifting the hives and holding them in lifted orfraised position as they are movedor for any otherdesired reason. 15

Referring now to the drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of Ymy invention, the' device includes a chassis IIJ preferably formed of bar iron and comprises spaced apart wheel housings Il formed by means of a bar bent 20 the walls thereof, and the wheel axle or spindle M is mounted in suitable slots i5 provided in each housing to facilitate the easy mounting or removal thereofjthe rear end of these housings being connected to a transversely disposed bar IB as shown, and a depending leg l 'l servesto support the rear end of the chassis when stationary, the front end being open to permit the Wheels to straddle a bee hive B, so that the lifting mechanism overhangs the hives to facilitate the lifting, weighing, transfer, or inspection thereof When desired.

The superstructure is preferably formed of bar iron and comprises apairof bars I8 bent to shape as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and`2 of the drawings and formingftracks, the lower ends being welded lor otherwise Asecured tothe wheel housings H, and the frame member i6 respecthe bars in spaced relation, a handle 2&3 being Vwelded to the bars IS and is suitablybraced by means of braces 2i, said handle being provided to facilitate the movement of the apparatus from one location to another. 45

Suitable bearings 22 are provided on the superstructure, and a shaft 23 is journaled therein, a

, drum 24 being mounted onl said shaft, and a gear 25 is mounted on one end thereof, a ratchet Wheel 26 (seeA Fig. 6) being formedintegral with 50 the gear, and a dog 21 is pivotally mounted on the frame for engagement with the ratchet wheel to hold the drum in set position.

A similar shaft 28 is also journaled in bearings 29 on the frameyand a spur gear 30 is mounted 55 therein, a crank 3| being provided on said gear, said gear meshing with and driving the gear 25 for a purpose to be presently described.

Individual sheaves 32 are journaled on pins 33 provided on the end of the frame as shown, and cables 34 are anchored to the drum 24, said cables being trained over the sheaves 32, thence leading downwardly and being anchored to slider guides 35 which form a part of the hive clamps, each guide being provided with spaced apart, forked legs 36 which slidably engage the bars I8, and freely slide thereon, so that as the crank 3i is turned to rotate the drum and wind the cables 34 thereon,`these slider guides will slide on the tracks I8 and guide the hive as it is being handled.

The hive clamp is formed as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and comprises side bars 31 and 38 respectively, an end bar 39 being secured tothe bar 31 at a point spaced from the end thereof, and a similar bar 4U is welded to the oppositeb'ar 38, the ends of these bars 39 and 40 being slidably mounted in a keeper 4 I.

A threaded rod 42 connects the extremev ends of the side bars 31 and 38, and nuts 43 are pro' vided for adjustment as desired, a yoke 44 being provided intermediate the length of the rod and a similar yoke 45 is pivotally mounted on theV legs thereof by means of the pinv46, and is provided with a handle 41 as shown, the opposite end section 48 of the rod being pivotally connected to theend of the yoke 45 and when the'handle is swung to locked position, the side bars 31` and 38 will be tightly clamped to the hive.' A similar arrangement is provided on the opposite end of the clamps and includes a yoke member 49 pivotally connected to lside bar at 50, a similar yoke 5I is pivotally connected to the yoke 52 at 53 and includes the handle 54, one end of a rod 55. being pivotally connected to the yoke 5|, the op-V posite end of said rod being threaded and engaging in a slotted passage in the end of the bar 31, a nut 51 being threaded on the end of the rod, to adjust said rod, and it will be obvious thatby manipulation of the locking handle 54 that the clamp can be rmly fixed and secured to the hive.

To prevent slippage etc. I provide stirrups 58, (see Fig. 1)V the upper end of each stirrup being hook shaped as at 59 to engage theedges of the side clamps, the lower end 60 of each stirrup being turned at right angles to the main body to engage the bottom of the hive so that a positive support'is assured. f

In practice the hive lifter is wheeled to straddle the hives, the clamp and the stirrups are fixed in proper position, the operator then rotates the crank 3l to rotate the drum 24, Winding the cables 34 thereon, and raising the hives, the slider guides preventing any swing or sway, and when the hives have been raised to desired position the dog 21 engages the toothed ratchet 25 to hold it in adjusted position, and when the dog is released the crank movement can, of course, be reversed.

For the purpose of weighing the hives to determine if the hive contains the proper amount of honey, I provide a removable rod 5l, the ends of which engage suitable openings 62 provided in the frame, a scale 63 is mounted on this rod, and is provided with a hook 64, which engages an eye 65 provided in the bar 66, which bar is clamped to the cables 34 at a point directly adjacent the ends of the slider guides, and in practice the hive or hives are lifted a distance sufficient to permit the hook 84 of the scale 63 to engage the eye 65 of the bar 66, then by slacking off on the cables,

the hives will be suspended on the scale which will then register the correct weight, the scale is then unhooked, the vhive lowered, and the next hive is weighed. After the weighing is completed the scale and bar is removed and the apparatus is now ready for use in the usual manner.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a simple, practical, substantial and convenient apparatus for lifting, moving, weighing and handling hives as desired.

What I claim is:

1. A portable hive lifter comprising a two 2wheeled frame, open at its forward end to straddle A a bee 4hive vertically disposed tracks secured to said frame, a hive clamp provided with legs slidably associated with said tracks, and means for raisingor lowering said hive clamp.

2. A portable hive lifter of the class described and comprising a portable two-wheeled frame, open at its forward end to straddle a bee hive vertically disposed tracks mounted on the frame at a point slightly in the rear of the wheels, vertically adjustable hive clamping means slidably engaging said tracks, a winding drum, and flexible means connected.v to said clamping means and adapted to be wound on said drum for raising or lowering-said hive clamping means when the drum. is rotated.

3.. A hive lifter of the class described and comprising a pneumatic two wheeled frame open at its forward end to admit a bee hive, and provided with spaced apart, vertically disposed track members,fa hive clamping means slidably engaging said trackmembers, a winding drum, cables anchored thereto and tothe hive clamping means, and means for rotating said winding drum to raise or lower the hive clamping means on the track, and a supporting leg on the rear end oi said frame.

4. A hive lifter of the character described and comprising a U-shaped, two wheeled frame adapted to straddle a bee hive and including spaced apart, vertically disposed tracks, a hive clamp including slider guides provided with legs engageable with said tracks, sheaves on the upper ends of the tracks, a winding drum, flexible means anchored to said guides and leading over said sheaves, and means for rotating said winding drum to wind the flexible means thereon.

5. A 'portable hive handling apparatus of the class described and comprising a two wheeled frame open at its forward end to accommodate a bee hive, a supporting leg on the rear end of the frame, said frame including vertically disposed trackmembers provided with sheaves on the upperk ends thereof, a collapsible hive lifting mechanism including slider guides engaging said tracks, a winding drum, and cables anchored to said guides and trained over .said sheaves with the free ends anchored to saidv winding drum, means for rotating said drum, and means for holding it in adjusted position.

6. A portable hive lifting apparatus of the Vguides and to said drum, and means for actuating said drum to Wind the cables thereon to raise said hive clamp.

8. A hive lifting apparatus including a frame having spaced apart wheel housings connected at their rear ends only, Wheels journaled in said housings, vertically disposed tracks forming a superstructure, a winding drum mounted on said superstructure, a collapsible hive lifter including guides engageable with the tracks, stirrups removably secured thereto and adapted to engage a hive, sheaves on the upper ends of the tracks, cables secured to the guides and leading over said sheaves With the ends anchored to said drum,

means for rotating said drum, and means for 10 holding it in adjusted position.

WADE H. FOSTER. 

